The first Savills Matcha Index highlights Tokyo, London and Seoul as the most attractive cities for tech professionals to live and work in. Developed by Savills Research, the ranking combines indicators of affordability, quality and availability of matcha lattes – one of the emerging lifestyle markers for younger urban generations.

London ranks second, just behind Tokyo, with an average price of 5.54 US dollars (4.71 euros) for a matcha latte, roughly one dollar more than in the Japanese capital. Despite the higher cost, the city remains highly competitive thanks to the quality and diversity of its independent cafés, which underpin a creative and vibrant urban culture.

Tokyo, in turn, blends tradition and modernity, combining the legacy of tea houses with a highly technological daily life, creating an ecosystem where innovation and wellbeing are in balance.

​Prices vary significantly across the 12 cities analysed, from 3.61 US dollars (3.07 euros) in Beijing to 6.21 US dollars (5.28 euros) in New York. According to Savills, the Japanese capital leads not only on affordability, but also on its ability to unite cultural value and contemporary dynamism.

​The results form part of the latest edition of Savills’ Tech Cities series, which examines the elements that make a city more liveable, capable of offering spaces where tech professionals can work, socialise and exchange ideas – ideally with a hot or cold drink in hand.

Lifestyle, wellbeing and tech talent

According to Savills, café and matcha culture has taken on a central role in tech cities, creating spaces for social interaction and idea-sharing among young professionals. Matcha lattes have gained popularity with this audience due to their combination of flavour, balanced energy and an association with wellbeing and more mindful routines. This preference reflects the growing importance, within the tech sector, of habits that promote health, focus and a better work–life balance.

This dynamic also shapes how cities position themselves to attract and retain tech talent. Charlotte Rushton, Associate Research Analyst at Savills, comments: “The Matcha Index reveals a clear pattern: tech cities that successfully blend lifestyle and innovation tend to thrive. While the index may appear playful, it reflects a fundamental truth: vibrant café cultures, whether centred on espresso or matcha, are crucial to urban liveability and to the social connectivity of modern tech hubs.”